Special master rules in favor of Sauerbrun/NFLPA

[evendelae]

Here's a non sequitur if I've ever seen one....



Yes, it seems your coach's confidence, as well as your team's confidence, was shaken quite a bit in the second half of last season....



A classic case of whistling past the graveyard.

So you think the Bronx (as Armstrong so deftly refers to them) will split with San Diego this season, huh? Good luck with that one!

Just to bring you up to speed, there are not "rumors" Shields will retire. He already has!

Boy, you sure make a lot of assumptions to reach the conclusion the Broncos will be "fine"! But it does make for entertaining light reading...



I personally never said all that stuff about Sauerbrun. Although I've never liked the guy, I understood, in a resigned sort of way, why they signed him at the end of last season. But I also knew it was unlikely he'd return for another go-around with this team. I'll admit I was surprised when the matched the offer. I mean, why would they need this guy, let alone want him? Apart from maybe extracting a little from the Broncos, there was no real reason to do so.

So I'll stand by my earlier assessment, and say, once again, you can have him. And good luck.

As a post script, the Broncos' schedule looks like they drew it up. I mean, it's so filled with cream puffs, it looks like a pastry shop job! Now, I realize that's not your fault, but if you guys don't manage at least 11 wins against that JV schedule, you should seriously consider the season a failure.

Really.

And strictly out of curiousity, why do end your paragraphs with a question mark, even after putting a period in there? Are you trying to start some new writing fad amongst the functional illiterates in our society?

Just wondering....

Please improve your critical reading skills. The rumors were that Will Shields retired because he hates LJ so much he didn't want to block for him. He was also being horrendously underpaid. And yes, our schedule looks easy on paper. I'm predicting between 9-7 to 11-5 due to Jay Cutler being a near rookie. Also, in case you haven't done your homework (which quite obviously you haven't), before last year the Chargers hadn't swept us since 1984. Mile High is one of the best home field advantages in football. They almost never win here. We would have beaten them handily at home this past year had it not been for a total and inexplicable defensive collapse in the 4th quarter. Our lead was something like 24-7. It sucked. One of the worst losses in recent memory.

And what makes you think our confidence has been shaken any more than yours? You lost a mammoth lead to Peyton and the Colts ( a team you've traditionally "owned) when all of you (probably the team as well) thought you were likely winning your fourth Superbowl. That doesn't shake your confidence just a little? I'll believe it when I see it. Hm. Does perhaps that fact that your team is utterly owned by the 9-7 Broncos shake their confidence a bit?

Also, wow, I made a typo! I must be funcionally illiterate! I'm really hurting for that one, you got me good!

Yeah, I wonder why Pats fans don't like Broncos fans

You should check out the Pats trolls on the several Bronco websites. Much worse than me.

 

[Crowpointer]

Mike Reiss reports the Broncos have signed Sauerbrun.

Here'a a report from Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_5704636 Sauerbrun returns to Broncos
By Bill Williamson
Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Launched: 04/19/2007 11:09:42 AM MDT


Todd Sauerbrun (Post file)It didn't take long for a free Todd Sauerbrun to return to the Broncos.

Sauerbrun agreed to terms with Denver on a one-year deal today. He is expected to sign the contract at Dove Valley on Friday, his agent David Canter said.

"This is a homecoming for Todd," Canter said.

Sauerbrun won his grievance against the New England Patriots and became an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday. The grievance, which was heard Tuesday in Boston, centered on whether the Patriots had rights of first refusal for Sauerbrun, who signed with them in December. The NFL Players Association argued that New England did not attach a separate form with his contract required in deals including rights of first refusal for unrestricted free agents.

Sauerbrun agreed to a one-year contract with the Broncos on April 3. It was matched by the Patriots, who believed they had rights of first refusal to re-sign him.

Sauerbrun was cut by the Broncos last October after he served an NFL suspension for using a banned substance. He was a standout for Denver in 2005, when he averaged 43.8 yards per punt and excelled on kickoffs, with 14 touchbacks. Paul Ernster averaged 41.7 yards per punt and had 19 touchbacks on kickoffs last season for Denver.

"Honestly, I didn't think I was going to win, and that's just because I wanted it so badly," Sauerbrun said of the grievance. "I am always thinking the worst, so if it happens that way, I won't be bummed out. But this is a great day. It makes the whole thing worth it. I have nothing against the Patriots, but Denver is where I want to be, and I am glad this worked out."

Sauerbrun, 34, repeatedly has said Denver has been the favorite of his five NFL stops, and he has long admired coach Mike Shanahan. Making his desire to come back stronger is new Denver special-teams coach Scott O'Brien. Sauerbrun flourished for Carolina with O'Brien there.

"He's is by far the best in the business," Sauerbrun said of O'Brien. "I love playing for that guy."

The ruling Wednesday was the first of its kind in the NFL, said Jeff Kessler, the NFLPA's outside counsel, who argued the case for Sauerbrun.

"This is a blow to (the Patriots) because they didn't follow the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, and they suffer the consequences by losing the player," Kessler said.

Bill Williamson can be reached

at 303-954-1262 or [email protected].

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

Big whoop, we don't get a 7th round pick for Sauerbrun from the Donks. Either way I was in favor of drafting Sepulveda or whoever they feel is the best punter in this year's draft.

Agreed that it's a big whoop, unless there are other contracts out there with the same problem.

 

[fgssand]

How funny would it be if Shanny cuts his ass...again!!!

Or.....Adalius blocks his punt in the playoffs.

 

[Jimke]

I'm probably about as ticked off as anyone else about this outcome

but I can see an upside to what happened. Our two young punters

will get a good chance to strut their stuff. One of them, Tom Malone,

has some possibilities. He was a two time semifinalist for the Ray Guy

Award. He averaged 44.0 yards per punt over 4 years at U.S.C. and

placed 95 of 185 punts inside the 20 yard line. In 2003, he averaged

49.0 yards per punt. He also was a holder on field goals. In his

first game in NFLE, he averaged 45.0 yards per punt and placed one punt

inside the 20 yard line.

 

[DaBruinz]

And I love how whenever you lose a player, it's "he sucked, he's a cancer" but before you were raving about his performance in the second half of the year. Right, good riddance. Your team wanted to retain him, so not good riddance. It's "****, that punter got away and now we're stuck with two injured punters?". How do punters get injured anyway?

I was not enamored with Sauerbrun. The only reason I wanted to keep him around was as injury insurance for Miller.

Sauerbrun, personally, is too much of a loner and not coachable enough. He blew several kicks for the Pats, one of which resulted in a TD.

 

[evendelae]

I was not enamored with Sauerbrun. The only reason I wanted to keep him around was as injury insurance for Miller.

Sauerbrun, personally, is too much of a loner and not coachable enough. He blew several kicks for the Pats, one of which resulted in a TD.

He forces fumbles! He's done a good job punting and he often has his best games when you really need him to do well.

And he's not a loner with the Broncos. He's always giving Nate Jackson a hard time in camp. Maybe your players and coaches are too aloof?

 

[DaBruinz]

He forces fumbles! He's done a good job punting and he often has his best games when you really need him to do well.

And he's not a loner with the Broncos. He's always giving Nate Jackson a hard time in camp. Maybe your players and coaches are too aloof?

\

Yes, he forces fumbles by spearing people. But he doesn't get called because he's a punter. BLAH BLAH.

As for the Pats players and coaches, that is a pretty stupid thing for you to say. They aren't too aloof. Quite the contrary. Its pretty well known that the Pats players and coaches get along pretty well and that those who want to succeed are always welcome. But its a give and take. You have to be willing to listen as well.

As for Sauerbrun, he most certainly did not listen to the coaches even though he was told where to kick it. He clearly blew it.

 

[evendelae]

\

Yes, he forces fumbles by spearing people. But he doesn't get called because he's a punter. BLAH BLAH.

As for the Pats players and coaches, that is a pretty stupid thing for you to say. They aren't too aloof. Quite the contrary. Its pretty well known that the Pats players and coaches get along pretty well and that those who want to succeed are always welcome. But its a give and take. You have to be willing to listen as well.

As for Sauerbrun, he most certainly did not listen to the coaches even though he was told where to kick it. He clearly blew it.

And yet, he kept you in the AFCCG so your team could totally blow it in the second half....

I'm saying that BB is a prickly personality. He makes me mad whenever I see him talk. His voice....... But your franchise also refuses to pay good players. It really bit you in the ass last year with Deion Branch. No doubt in my mind you'd have another trophy if you had a reciever able to catch in the AFCCG.

Sauerbrun wants to be here in Denver, the best city on the planet. Who could blame him? He wanted it enough to fight over a contract technicality. I can understand why you all wouldn't exactly feel warmly toward him.

 

[kolbitr]

And yet, he kept you in the AFCCG so your team could totally blow it in the second half....

I'm saying that BB is a prickly personality. He makes me mad whenever I see him talk. His voice....... But your franchise also refuses to pay good players. It really bit you in the ass last year with Deion Branch. No doubt in my mind you'd have another trophy if you had a reciever able to catch in the AFCCG.

Sauerbrun wants to be here in Denver, the best city on the planet. Who could blame him? He wanted it enough to fight over a contract technicality. I can understand why you all wouldn't exactly feel warmly toward him.

You are an absolute turkey. No, more like a pigeon, a small lice-ridden pigeon who wishes he were a turkey, so he could be overroasted and overstuffed, and be cared about at least once a year.

Mr. Sauerbrun is small potatoes. He is a cheating hash of small potatoes. Clearly, noone really cared about him or noone in NE would have made this mistake to begin with. We don't make mistakes; we make decisions.

You have spent the entire time here dropping your stinking poop-pellets on our board and catfighting by putting words in posters' mouths. Noone cares if you dislike the great Belichick, any more than you would care if anyone would loathe the equally-prickly, equally-assholish Shanahan.

 

[DaBruinz]

And yet, he kept you in the AFCCG so your team could totally blow it in the second half....

Sauerbrun didn't keep the Pats in the game. Dang, you are just making garbage up right now.

I'm saying that BB is a prickly personality. He makes me mad whenever I see him talk. His voice.......

BB's persona with the media is not his persona with the players. But you'f rather listen to the idiots in the media than the truth. And you are proving that with your stupid statements.

But your franchise also refuses to pay good players. It really bit you in the ass last year with Deion Branch. No doubt in my mind you'd have another trophy if you had a reciever able to catch in the AFCCG.

Listen, you clearly don't have a CLUE as to what you are talking about when it comes to the Patriots paying their players, especially Deion Branch. And its pretty frigging ignorant of you to even attempt to bring it into this thread. The TRUTH of the matter is that the Patriots wanted to treat Branch EXACTLY THE SAME WAY AS BRADY AND SEYMOUR. They wanted to pay him, but not erase the last year of his rookie contract. Branch clearly felt that he was more important than Seymour and Brady and that he deserved to be treated differently. None of us, INCLUDING BRANCH, knows exactly how much the Patriots would have been willing to offer if Branch had actually attempted to negotiate with the team. Instead, Branch and his agent felt it better to be stupid and hurt the pats by not negotiating and demanding they be treated better than the two best players currently on the team.

Also, I suggest you go out and look at what the Patriots are paying some of their players. Tom Brady is one of the highest paid QBs in the league. Richard Seymour is one of the highest paid D-linemen. The Pats paid Rosie Colvin, Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel and Matt Light. The Patriots paid Dan Koppen and Stephen Neal. The Patriots also paid Jarvis Green and Kevin Faulk.

Just because the Pats don't OVERPAY players doesn't mean that they don't pay them. How about you do us a favor and go back to your Broncos boards instead of spewing the garbage about topics you clearly know nothing about.

 

[DaBruinz]

Sauerbrun wants to be here in Denver, the best city on the planet. Who could blame him? He wanted it enough to fight over a contract technicality. I can understand why you all wouldn't exactly feel warmly toward him.

Denver isn't the best city on the planet. I suggest you actually get out and see the world some because there are plenty of cities that are better than Denver.

 

[He Ban Me]

Sauerbrun didn't keep the Pats in the game. Dang, you are just making garbage up right now.



BB's persona with the media is not his persona with the players. But you'f rather listen to the idiots in the media than the truth. And you are proving that with your stupid statements.



Listen, you clearly don't have a CLUE as to what you are talking about when it comes to the Patriots paying their players, especially Deion Branch. And its pretty frigging ignorant of you to even attempt to bring it into this thread. The TRUTH of the matter is that the Patriots wanted to treat Branch EXACTLY THE SAME WAY AS BRADY AND SEYMOUR. They wanted to pay him, but not erase the last year of his rookie contract. Branch clearly felt that he was more important than Seymour and Brady and that he deserved to be treated differently. None of us, INCLUDING BRANCH, knows exactly how much the Patriots would have been willing to offer if Branch had actually attempted to negotiate with the team. Instead, Branch and his agent felt it better to be stupid and hurt the pats by not negotiating and demanding they be treated better than the two best players currently on the team.

Also, I suggest you go out and look at what the Patriots are paying some of their players. Tom Brady is one of the highest paid QBs in the league. Richard Seymour is one of the highest paid D-linemen. The Pats paid Rosie Colvin, Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel and Matt Light. The Patriots paid Dan Koppen and Stephen Neal. The Patriots also paid Jarvis Green and Kevin Faulk.

Just because the Pats don't OVERPAY players doesn't mean that they don't pay them. How about you do us a favor and go back to your Broncos boards instead of spewing the garbage about topics you clearly know nothing about.

I guess paying them a dollar is paying them, I mean, technically. They can't "pay" all those guys, cause if they do, they would have cap troubles. Pats may not overpay, but I think you could make a case that they underpay. The trouble is, they have dum dums who agree to it. It was funny to watch Brady piss and moan about Branch early in the season. Wasn't THAT why he played poorly, or did he have a spot of the flu on occassion?

 

[groundgame]

There is no "MIND GAME" here. Shanahan had NOTHING to do with the situation. The NFLPA is the one that filed the greivance. It would seem that you don't have your facts correct.

This has nothing to do with Belichick and Shanahan. Not.

 

[DaBruinz]

I guess paying them a dollar is paying them, I mean, technically. They can't "pay" all those guys, cause if they do, they would have cap troubles. Pats may not overpay, but I think you could make a case that they underpay. The trouble is, they have dum dums who agree to it. It was funny to watch Brady piss and moan about Branch early in the season. Wasn't THAT why he played poorly, or did he have a spot of the flu on occassion?

Really? You must have watched a different reality because Brady wasn't pissing and moaning about Branch. What you ignore is that Brady and the new receivers were still getting on the same page. Yes, some was Brady, but some was them. Its take awhile for QBs to get used to new receivers.

As for "under-paying" players, every team underpays players. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a player (or a person) who doesn't consider themselves underpaid. However, the only player on the Pats who is TRULY underpaid is Tedy Bruschi. But the Pats treated him better than most teams treat players when they suffer non-football injuries. And Bruschi is the one who negotiated his last contract so he was very happy with it and THAT is what counts.

To claim that the Patriots players are DUMB for accepting very lucrative contracts from the Patriots is ridiculous. And shows that you really don't know what you are talking about. As many people who don't follow the Patriots regularly.

 

[Fencer]

Re: NFLPA rules in favor of Sauerbrun

Are you sure it's not Daniel Ventura?

Or Wilshire or Olympic or Pico ... I grew up in LA, and can keep playing this game for a long time.

 

[evendelae]

Sauerbrun didn't keep the Pats in the game. Dang, you are just making garbage up right now.



BB's persona with the media is not his persona with the players. But you'f rather listen to the idiots in the media than the truth. And you are proving that with your stupid statements.



Listen, you clearly don't have a CLUE as to what you are talking about when it comes to the Patriots paying their players, especially Deion Branch. And its pretty frigging ignorant of you to even attempt to bring it into this thread. The TRUTH of the matter is that the Patriots wanted to treat Branch EXACTLY THE SAME WAY AS BRADY AND SEYMOUR. They wanted to pay him, but not erase the last year of his rookie contract. Branch clearly felt that he was more important than Seymour and Brady and that he deserved to be treated differently. None of us, INCLUDING BRANCH, knows exactly how much the Patriots would have been willing to offer if Branch had actually attempted to negotiate with the team. Instead, Branch and his agent felt it better to be stupid and hurt the pats by not negotiating and demanding they be treated better than the two best players currently on the team.

Also, I suggest you go out and look at what the Patriots are paying some of their players. Tom Brady is one of the highest paid QBs in the league. Richard Seymour is one of the highest paid D-linemen. The Pats paid Rosie Colvin, Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel and Matt Light. The Patriots paid Dan Koppen and Stephen Neal. The Patriots also paid Jarvis Green and Kevin Faulk.

Just because the Pats don't OVERPAY players doesn't mean that they don't pay them. How about you do us a favor and go back to your Broncos boards instead of spewing the garbage about topics you clearly know nothing about.

Uh, yeah, that game was nationally televised. He gave you good field position to stop the Colts but the Patriot defense faltered.

I'm not talking about press conferences with BB. I watched a little of him miked at the Pro Bowl and (barring the wonderful compliment he paid to Champ) he was a total ass. I'm not saying Shanahan isn't an ass either, but at least he's not some chick in New Jersey's sugar daddy.

The fact is, the Patriots couldn't retain either of their recievers. And it cost them the Superbowl. Would you trade a Lombardi for some more cap space or a first round pick? Yeah, neither would I.

 

[Patriotic Fervor]

Or.....Adalius blocks his punt in the playoffs.

Playoffs? Boy, that's big dreams for that Denver team....

 

[Patriotic Fervor]

Please improve your critical reading skills. The rumors were that Will Shields retired because he hates LJ so much he didn't want to block for him. He was also being horrendously underpaid. And yes, our schedule looks easy on paper. I'm predicting between 9-7 to 11-5 due to Jay Cutler being a near rookie. Also, in case you haven't done your homework (which quite obviously you haven't), before last year the Chargers hadn't swept us since 1984. Mile High is one of the best home field advantages in football. They almost never win here. We would have beaten them handily at home this past year had it not been for a total and inexplicable defensive collapse in the 4th quarter. Our lead was something like 24-7. It sucked. One of the worst losses in recent memory.

And what makes you think our confidence has been shaken any more than yours? You lost a mammoth lead to Peyton and the Colts ( a team you've traditionally "owned) when all of you (probably the team as well) thought you were likely winning your fourth Superbowl. That doesn't shake your confidence just a little? I'll believe it when I see it. Hm. Does perhaps that fact that your team is utterly owned by the 9-7 Broncos shake their confidence a bit?

Also, wow, I made a typo! I must be functionally illiterate! I'm really hurting for that one, you got me good!


You should check out the Pats trolls on the several Bronco websites. Much worse than me.

So that's why he retired? Not that he was a 12-year vet, who almost joined Willie Roaf in retirement last year? He hates the chief engine of the team's offense? He's "horrendously underpaid" at 4.7 mill, with only 3 others above him on the team in terms of pay? Right. OK. Got it!

Ah, how pre-emptive of you! You are still 9-7, no matter how you cut it. Cutler or no Cutler. Even if the Football Gods smile most favorably upon that team, 11-5 is where they max out, and I'm sorry, Charlie, but that just ain't gonna win your division.

That "total and inexplicable loss" ushered in the end of your season. Actually, I'm surprised it didn't happen earlier, but Shanahan had that team playing on adrenaline and fumes for way too long. I wasn't surprised at all when it happened.

That Colt team has always had the ability to score points in bunches, regardless of the opponent. They've always done well against your team.

But more than that, the AFCCG loss (do you understand that - AFCCG loss? It means we were there, and 14 other teams - including yours - weren't. We were 2 minutes and 4 yards from returning to our 4th Super Bowl in 6 years. We'll take it!) has been viewed as an opportunity to - not rebuild - reload. It appears the team has done that very well. There are still a few holes on this team, but the other side of that coin is, yours has a hell of a lot more.

Yeah, not just functionally illiterate, but developmentally disabled.

These posts of yours are not merely inane, they're becoming a total waste of time. Good luck learning to use your spell checker.

 

[DaBruinz]

Uh, yeah, that game was nationally televised. He gave you good field position to stop the Colts but the Patriot defense faltered.

It wasn't just the Pats Defense that faltered. But, like I said, you must have watched a different reality.

I'm not talking about press conferences with BB. I watched a little of him miked at the Pro Bowl and (barring the wonderful compliment he paid to Champ) he was a total ass. I'm not saying Shanahan isn't an ass either, but at least he's not some chick in New Jersey's sugar daddy.

Again, you must be watching some other reality because if BB made such an ass of himself, why is it that AD was so impressed with him that it was one of the reasons he decided to sign with the Patriots?

As for BB's personal life, its none of your friggin business. Just like its none of mine or the media's. Why do you have to be an idiot and try to change the subject? Oh, wait, I know. Its because its the only way for you to think that you might actually win an argument.

[

The fact is, the Patriots couldn't retain either of their recievers. And it cost them the Superbowl. Would you trade a Lombardi for some more cap space or a first round pick? Yeah, neither would I.

This is complete and utter BS and shows a true lack of knowledge on your part. You have NO PROOF that having Givens and/or Branch would have changed the outcome of the game. Hell, you just blamed the DEFENSE for the loss in the AFCCG, but now you are saying that its the offense? Last I looked, Givens and Branch are both RECEIVERS. They aren't coverage linebackers, which is what the Pats needed in the AFCCG.

Also, considering that there is no guarantee that the situation would have been the same, you can't really say that having them would have made a difference. OH, and if you had any sense, you'd have looked back at the Denver Divisional game from 2005 and seen that Branch and Givens both had critical drops.

The Fact is that the Patriots COULD HAVE retained EITHER of them. The fact is that Givens was tremendously over-paid and not worth what he received. The Pats can't help that Branch turned into a lying sack of garbage and backed out on his promise to honor his contract. You do realize that the contract that Seattle gave him ended up only being a few hundred thousand more than the Patriots offer had been, right? And, no one knows how high the Patriots would have negotiated had Branch and his agent actually ATTEMPTED to negotiate.

I love it when people who are clueless about the inner workings of the Patriots come over here and attempt to tell Pats fans the "truth" and try and blame everything on the front office.